Label dispensing and applying apparatus

ABSTRACT

Four self-adhesive label applicators each capable of printing, with one or two impressions, a label and dispensing that label in the same operational cycle, are intended for hand actuation, but can be power operated. In each embodiment, a web of labels is drawn from a reel in steps corresponding to one label by a feed slide which is in the form of an elongate member having barbs which engage notches of the web downstream of a location at which individual labels are detached from the web by passage over an edge and bending of the web through approximately 180*. Each label, before being dispensed, is printed by operative type facets of at least one print head assembly. The latter include a number of print bands which can be adjusted from externally of the applicator casing by a single knob which selects the band for adjustment and also adjusts the selected band to the required character. The dispensed labels are applied to an article by a semi-circular pad arranged adjacent the dispensing edge. Each of the applicators is operated by a trigger-like member and the applicators as a whole have the appearance of a pistol.

United States Patent Sams June 17, 1975 I LABEL DISPENSING AND APPLYING APPARATUS Primary E.raminerC aleb Weston [76] Inventor: Bernard Sams, 22 Avondale Ave, fmomey Agem or F'rm MCG|ew and Tume No. I2, London. England [22] Filed: Aug. 23, 1972 [57] ABSTRACT Four self-adhesive label applicators each capable of [2 I] App! printing, with one or two impressions, a label and dispensing that label in the same operational cycle. are [30] Forei A li ri P i i D t intended for hand actuation, but can be power oper- Aug 25 l97l United Kingdom 39850/7l each embdimema Web labels draw" Jan 29 1 United Kingdom 4305/72 from a reel in steps corresponding to one label by a feed slide which is in the form of an elongate member 52 us. Cl. 156/384- 101/291- 101/293- having barbs which engage mches F Web g. 156/277. 156/584 stream of a location at which individual labels are de- 51 Int. Cl B 65h 5/28 ached web by Passage an edge [58] Field of Search l56/277, 384, 385, 541, bending the Web P Each 46 label, before being dispensed, IS printed by operative 101/588 291 327 type facets of at least one print head assembly. The latter include a number of print bands which can be t d adjusted from externally of the applicator casing by a [56] :Z single knob which selects the band for adjustment and I also adjusts the selected band to the required charac- 3,265,553 8/1966 Kind et al. 156/384 ten The dispensed labels are applied to an article by 3 3330207 1/1967 g f gsg: semi-circular pad arranged adjacent the dispensing :8: 1561384 edge. Each of the applicators is operated by a trigger- 3 674 6o9 M972 Schrotz e;51111IIlIiIIIIIIIIIIII 156/384 like member and applicators as a whole have 3,686,055 8/l972 Hermann .r l56/384 appearance Of 3 P 4 i'lfii'fii? 333% it??? $2324 11 62 -l/ PATENTEDJUN 17 ms SHEET F76. lAB.

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1. In a label applicator capable of successively printing and dispensing labels carried by a web having regularly spaced engagement means along its length, at least one print head assembly including a plurality of selectively adjustable print facets, means pivotally mounting the print head assembly, means operable to detach a printed label from the web, means operative to pivot the print head assembly to bring the operative print facets thereof into tangential contact with a label on the web while the label is moving at the same linear speed as the instantaneous linear speed of the operative print facets, and means operable to advance the web through the applicator to the detaching means including an elongated slidable member having regularly spaced means for engaging positively a plurality of the engagement means of the web, and further regularly spaced means operable to engage positively a plurality of the engagement means of the web, said further regularly spaced means being fixed relative to the applicator as a whole and serving, in cooperation with the first-mentioned engaging means, to advance a printed said label to and beyond the detaching means at an end portion of a given operational cycle, said means operative to pivot said print head assembly and said means operable to advance the web through the applicator being effective to print a given label and deliver it to the detaching means in the same operational cycle of the applicator.
 2. An applicator for self-adhesive labels mounted on a backing strip having a continuous series of regularly spaced notches along both longitudinal edges, said applicator comprising a casing, a print head assembly pivotally mounted in the casing, ink pad means for inking operative type facets of the print head assembly, a label support printing platen movable substantially rectilinearly past the operative type facets as the latter move at the same instantaneous linear speed whereby to print a said label, a label feed slide rigid with the platen and supporting the ink pad means, a platen carrier, and a label dispensing member adjacent the platen, actuating means of the platen carrier and the print head assembly, said actuating means comprising a pivotal trigger, a flexible elongated member connecting the trigger to the platen carrier, a return spring connecting the casing to the carrier, and means on the platen carrier for urging the ink pad and the platen towards operative type facets of the print head assembly, said feed slide comprising at least one series of regularly spaced barbs adapted to engage the backing strip during a first stroke of the slide and a barbed member fixed to the casing and adapted to engage and hold the backing strip during the second, return stroke of the feed slide, said second stroke serving to draw the label printed during the first stroke over the dispensing member and to draw a fresh label from the supply onto the platen.
 3. In a label applicator, a casing, means for carrying a stock of self-adhesive labels supported on a backing strip having regularly spaced engagement means along its length, a dispensing member carried by the casing and arranged to detach and dispense successive said labels from the backing strip as the latter is drawn around the member, a rectilinear member including a series of barbs with the same longitudinal spacing as the engagement means, means for actuating the rectilinear barbed member to engage successive said engagement means of the backing strip and to move longitudinally thereby to advance the labels for each operational cycle from the stock by one label length to the dispensing member, and pivotally mounted printing means operable by sAid actuating means to print, while pivoting with an instantaneous linear peripheral speed equal to the linear speed of a label to be printed, during any one operational cyclce of the actuating means, the same label as that dispensed by the dispensing member during that cycle, the actuating means serving to move the label being printed at the same linear speed as the instantaneous linear peripheral speed of the printing means during the production of the print impression.
 4. An applicator according to claim 3, wherein the printing means comprises two print head assemblies operable to make two separate print impressions on a given label, both said print head assemblies being operable during one operational cycle of the actuating means to print the same label as that dispensed by the dispensing member during that cycle.
 5. An applicator according to claim 3, wherein the barbs of the barbed member are arranged as two series to accommodate webs carrying different sized labels.
 6. In a label applicator, a casing, means for carrying a reel of self-adhesive labels supported on a backing strip having regularly spaced notches along its length, pivotal printing means housed within the casing for printing successive labels as the labels move with the same linear speed as the instantaneous linear speed of the printing means while the print impression is being formed, a dispensing edge member carried by the casing and arranged to detach successive printed labels from the backing strip by passage of the latter over the edge thereof, a feed mechanism including an elongated barbed member movable within the casing and arranged to engage successive series of the notches by barbs on a face thereof, said barbs having a spacing equal to the spacing of the notches, barbed means defining a further plurality of barbs having the same spacing as the barbs of the said barbed member, said barbed means being fixed in relation to the casing, and means common to the pivotal printing means and the elongated barbed member for actuating the barbed member to move the backing strip by one label and to detach the said label at the dispensing edge member by movement of the barbed member and dispensing edge member while the notches of the backing strip are engaged on said fixed barbed means, the arrangement being such that the dispensed label is that one which has been printed by the same operational cycle of the actuating means which has actuated the feed mechanism to dispense that label.
 7. An applicator according to claim 6, comprising a pad of sponge rubber and a plurality of glass balls adhered to the pad, the assembly of balls and pad serving to apply labels to an article.
 8. An applicator according to claim 6, comprising an ink pad movable with respect to the printing means, an ink-pad carrier, a roller of the ink pad carrier, and a part of the casing having a notch engageable by the carrier to bring the ink pad into contact with the print means, as the actuating means are operated.
 9. An applicator according to claim 8, comprising a label-support platen, said part of the casing having a deeper notch enabling a label on the platen to move into contact with operative type facets of the printing means.
 10. An applicator according to claim 6, comprising a label support platen movable by the actuating means linearly and radially with respect to the print means at a print station, said printing means being pivotal so that during printing the operative type facets move tangentially with respect to a label on the platen.
 11. An applicator according to claim 10, wherein the label-support and printing platen is integral with the barbed member.
 12. An applicator according to claim 6, wherein the printing means comprises two pivotal print head assemblies operable successively on the same label as that dispensed during a given operational cycle.
 13. An applicator according to claim 12 comprising means for locking each print head assembly in a predetermined orientation when the actuating means is inoperative.
 14. An applicator according to claim 13, wherein each print head assembly comprises an ink pad and a carrier for the pad, and wherein the locking means comprises at least one abutment on one of the print head assemblies and at least one tooth on a said ink pad carrier of the corresponding print head assembly, initial actuation of the actuating means serving to disengage the abutment and the tooth to release the corresponding print head assembly.
 15. An applicator according to claim 14 further comprising a control member of said one print head assembly, a projection of said one print head assembly in engagement with the control member, and a detent of said ink pad carrier, said control member also being in engagement with the detent when in the locked position.
 16. An applicator according to claim 12, wherein each print head assembly includes an ink pad holder supported for limited pivotal movement and a carrier, each carrier being itself pivotally mounted on a pivot axis of the corresponding print head assembly and being operable by the actuating means to swing the ink pad into and out of operative contact with the operative facets of the corresponding print head assembly.
 17. An applicator according to claim 16, wherein the casing carries means defining cam tracks, and wherein one said print head assembly carries pegs, said pegs being engaged in respective said cam tracks, said cam tracks being arranged to bring the ink pad into operative contact with the operative print facets of that print head assembly.
 18. An applicator according to claim 12, wherein said actuating means comprises a lost-motion drive whereby the elongate barbed member is inoperative to move the backing strip over a first portion of the operational cycle of the actuating means.
 19. An applicator according to claim 18, wherein the lost-motion drive comprises a rectilinearly-movable member, an abutment on said member of the drive, and an abutment on the barbed member, said abutments being spaced by an amount substantially equal to one half of the advance required for the backing strip to index one label to the print position.
 20. An applicator according to claim 19, wherein the lost-motion drive further comprises a transverse member carried by slots in said member of the drive, a further abutment on the barbed member, and a ramp rigid with the casing, said transverse member and further abutment being operative to move the barbed member only during a first portion of a return movement of the latter, the further abutment being rendered inoperative by said ramp which serves to lift the transverse member out of the slots at the end of a first portion of the return movement.
 21. An applicator according to claim 19, comprising a platen serving to support, for printing, a said label and a corresponding portion of the backing strip, and a platen tooth member operative to lock said label on the platen substantially immediately the actuating means are operated at the commencement of the operating cycle.
 22. An applicator according to claim 21, wherein the platen tooth member is pivoted on said one member of the lost-motion drive which serves to carry the platen, the locking action being effected by pivoting the platen tooth member to engage teeth thereof on corresponding engagement means of the backing strip. 